RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball program extends its win streak to 13 with 5-4 and 3-2 victories over Kennesaw State on Saturday afternoon at Gertrude Hood Field.
 
With the wins, EKU moves its record to 22-4 on the season and a perfect 5-0 inside Atlantic Sun Conference play.  The Colonels have won 13 games since Feb. 26 of this season and 13 straight at home since April 22, 2022.
 
EKU has now picked up series wins in four of its last five series against ASUN Conference opponents.
 
Reigning ASUN Player of the Week Jeanay Riley was the highlight of Saturday's effort going 4-for-5 with two doubles, one homer, and three RBIs.
 
Fellow outfielder Jaelin Haynes followed Riley's performance with her own 4-for-6 day with three doubles.
 
Hero Jasmine Miller secured the win over KSU in walk off fashion, bringing in Maggie Pertee in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Game One: EKU 5, Kennesaw State 4
Rutan earned the start in game one and opened the top of the first allowing a solo home run to KSU's Ava Guzowski.  She ended the frame with one earned run and one strikeout.
 
The Colonels equalized in the bottom of the frame as a single by Drafton and a double by Riley brought in one.
 
Kennesaw State opened the scoring in the top of the fourth with back-to-back home runs by Kassidy Amerson-Fox and Kiera Cooper, scoring a leadoff walk and extending a 4-1 lead.
 
Despite the extra effort from the Owls, EKU again responded in the bottom of the fourth scoring three runs, tying the game at four, with four hits, two walks, and one hit by pitch at-bats.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Colonels found a runner as Pertee singled through the left side.  Haynes followed with a seven-pitch walk.  Miller drove in the winning run with a single up the middle, bringing Pertee around the bases with a close call at home plate.
 
Tayteum Vigansky (5-1) gained the win by tossing 4.0 innings in relief with two strikeouts.
 
Game Two: EKU 3, Kennesaw State 2
A three up, three down top of the first ensued for Lauren Narvaez, picking up her sixth start of the season in game two.  
 
EKU's Riley sent a 2-run homer almost out of the ballpark to start the Colonels' scoring.  Haynes doubled down the left field line with two outs, scoring Rutan, for a 3-0 lead.
 
Kennesaw State narrowed the gap to just one run in the top of the fourth by Macie Howes, a Kentucky native in front of nearly 15+ fans, sending a towering homer to dead center over the scoreboard.
 
Despite a total of five errors in game two, the defense prevailed in the bottom of the fourth through the sixth, with neither team scoring a run.
 
Vigansky got the save in game two, her first collegiate save, refusing to allow a runner in scoring position across.  EKU's Lauren Narvaez (2-0) got the win going 6.0 innings with one strikeout.
 
Next Up
EKU goes for the series sweep over Kennesaw State tomorrow at 1 p.m. EST back at Gertrude Hood Field.